Dimitris Gkinis

He was born (1971) and raised in Athens where he still lives. His family roots are in South Evia and Epirus. He started studying “keybord” when he was very young, while his older (guitarist) brother helped him with his first steps in music. Later on, as a teenager, he started playing with amateur and school bands and also learning traditional dances. At the age of 16, he starts studying the accordion and at the same time he is getting more into the Greek folk and traditional music, along with his twin brother Vangelis, who ended up a traditional singer and a byzantine music chanter. After HighSchool, he studies interior design and architecture, painting, history of arts and he plays accordion professionaly. After his military service, for several years he gets accordion lessons, by the virtuoso Iraklis Vavatsikas, who gives him a push into new kinds of music as well. Classical music, tango and Astor Piazzola, Balcanic and French accordion, Chatzidakis, Nino Rota and all kinds of music (Oriental, Jazz, Manouche Gipsy Swing, Flamenco, Latin, Bossa Nova etc.). Since 1991, besides everything else, he plays the folk and traditional Greek music. He has worked with many composers, musicians and singers in recordings, concert halls, night clubs, television, theatre and art acts. He has played all over Greece and Cyprus and also Turkey and many Countries of Europe. Some of the most important artists that he has worked with are: Giannis Parios, pantelis Thalassinos, Orfeas Peridis, Haig Yazdjian, Melina Kana, Lizetta Kallimeri, Vagelis Korakakis, Babis Gkoles, Stelios Vamvakaris, Antonis Apergis, Manolis Pappos, Sofia Assychidou, Kostas and Dimitris Papadopoulos, Katerina Kouka, Mario, Tassia Vera, Giannis Vassilopoulos, Christos Konstantinou, Panagiotis Stergiou, Giannis Papavassiliou-Vlachos, Nikos and Kostas Filipidis, Manos Koutsagelidis, Lambros Karellas, Petros Vagiopoulos, Voula Savidi, Giannis Zouganelis, Panagiotis Lalezas, Kostas Doumouliakas, Dromos the band, marios Papadeasm Vassilis Giannisis, Sotiris Margonis, Giorgos Marinakis, Katerina Tsiridou, Antigoni Mpouna, Giorgos Tzortzis, Antonis Enitis, Afentoula Razeli, Athos Danelis (shadow puppeteer), Giannis Bostantzoglou, Pavlos Orkopoulos (actors), Kostas Ferris (director) a.o. The last few years, along with his part in KOMPANÍA, he plays folk Greek music, with a music trio consisted of him, Antigoni Mpouna (singing, guitar) and Kostas Doumouliakas (singing, bouzouki).